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Hi BazC, Welcome, We all started from basics here on Alfred's and many thanks to Mark for starting this thread. If you meet problems as you progress through Alfred's just post it here and you will be overwhelmed with advice.

After recommendations from people around here I placed an order with amazon.com for the first 3 books. I know I don't need more than the first one right now but I'd hate to get through the first one in a year or so then order the next one and find they changed the cover or what have you. I'm a stickler for things matching if they're in a set.MULLY

I may have mentioned earlier in this thread that the pedaling, more advanced pedaling, is the thing holding me back from finishing book 1, and I don't won't to move onto Book 2 until I've squeezed the last drop of knowledge from Book 1. Reading The more advanced pedaling is sort of like reading another stave/line of music.

Which brings me to the pedaling shown in "O Sole Mio", bars 4,5,6&7, I feel the pedal is held down too long, I think it sounds better if the pedal is lifted off after the first chord(C7) beginning bar 5, applied again at the first chord(C7)in bar 6....I could be wrong...again.

Originally posted by crusader: I think it sounds better if the pedal is lifted off after the first chord(C7) beginning bar 5, applied again at the first chord(C7)in bar 6..... [/b]

Hiya, I've tried it a few times both ways, and hear what you mean. It is also the only place in the score where the pedalling is carried across bass clef rests. I think pedalling as you suggest accentuates the melody in those 3 notes. Nice one.

FWIW: When I played O Sole Mio for my teacher she had me pedal much more freqently than is shown in the music--basically at every chord change or when the right hand is stepping down or stepping up with every note. I think the piece sounds much better this way (less muddled) and it's forced me to improve pedalling to boot.

I added my first recording to my signature. It's the first song in Alfred Basic Adult Piano Course "Greatest Hits" book. I'm trying to learn the Titanic theme song next. That seems easier than the second song, Edelweiss, to me.

I'm really struggling with "Blow the Man Down!" getting my right and left hands to work differently. I'll get it eventually though. Having some other Alfred books like greatest hits to try while I'm stuck on a song in the main book really helps.

Hi RayMetz100, I think everyone struggles on "Blow the Man Down", the way I tackled it was to practice for 10 minutes then go away from the piano for a half hour then back to practice, I don't know why not playing helps in playing. Strangely, the pieces later on in the book are much easier, I've just been playing "Raisons & Almonds" a really easy piece.....including putting the dreaded pedal in.

Hey crusader, I'm not really stuck, I kind of got stuck on "The Marine Hymn" but I eventually got past it. Right now I'm doing "Little Brown Jug", the dynamic changes are somewhat hard to do, but I shall still progress!

Originally posted by BazC: Well my book arrived today so I'm starting right from the very basics. Anyone else out there starting from scratch? [/b]

You're way ahead of me. I only decided this evening to go out and purchase this book at my earliest convenience. It won't be my first book, exactly, as I have just completed my daughter's Schaum Green book. But I won't make it far before encountering new material.

Yes, I will be visiting this thread often. Thanks in advance for all the help I am sure to need.

I started Alred's All In One about 2 weeks ago - I'm up to page 36 - trying to focus on taking it slow. I've had my digital for about a year now and haven't made any progress. I've been writing the notes on relatively easy music and then memorizing. I've stopped doing that - I really want to be able to read the music and play without looking!

Turleyfan and Kdana, good to have you on board! I'm finding it hard not to rush past the boring stuff in Alfred, some of the tunes are painful! Still when I get too fed up with them I find something on the Web to work on. I'd like to find a collection of Christmas carols, not too basic, not too difficult so I can have a bit of a repetoire for next Christmas. Might have a look round some music shops at the weekend

Looking back through this thread, it's almost like there are new waves of freshman classes beginning at various intervals.

mom3gram, don't count on my leaving you in the dust. I am truly a never-ever, with about three weeks' experience. But I had some light bulbs go on when I was helping my daughter through her book, so I hope they will carry me through the first few pages of Alfred's.

Just to be clear (this goes to Kdana, BazC and mom3gram), you are going through the Adult Piano Course Book One, is that correct? Not the All-In-One? (I haven't bought mine yet, just making sure I am getting the right one...)

Turleyfan, I ordered the "all in one", but I think they are basically the same course. It looks to me as if the regular Adult Piano Course Book one has the lessons and songs, and you can supplement with the Theory book and the Technic book that go with it. The "all in one" combines all three of these, and I would imagine condenses it somewhat. But people on here using both book 1's seem to be doing the same songs and lessons with slightly different page #'s.

In the meantime, I'm finishing up a Bastien's Primer level book for kids, and I ordered the Level 1 too, just in case I get too stuck in the Alfred's. Here's hoping I won't though, because the song list on Alfred's sounds like MUCH more fun than the little kiddie tunes made up special for the Bastien exercises.

I just started a few weeks ago too, and I seem to need to repeat lessons many times before I can play them without too many mistakes. (And this is with the kiddie book). So I know you guys are going to leave me in the dust eventually, but it's okay. I'm not in any hurry.

I found this on sheetmusicplus.com - "Alfred's Adult All-in-One Course - Merry Christmas Book (Level 1)". Just search for "Alfred's level one" and I think it brings up all of the Alfred's books on our level

These collections by one of our most popular composers are full of easy solo arrangements of favorite Christmas carols for adults who are studying Alfred's Adult All-in-One Course, Books 1 and 2. Each selection will bring enjoyment and inspiration to lift holiday spirits!

Contents:Away in a MangerDeck the HallsThe First NoelGood King WenceslasHark! The Herald Angels SingJingle BellsJolly Old Saint NicholasO Christmas TreeOnce in Royal David's CitySilent NightUp on the HousetopWe Three Kings of Orient AreWe Wish You a Merry ChristmasWhat Child Is This?

My update... went to Borders and Barnes and Noble, and came up empty. Last stop was the local music shop, where I should have gone in the first place. I picked up the all in one book, and have spent a couple hours with it this afternoon.

I made it all the way to Jingle Bells without spending too much time on anything. Jingle Bells requires a little more LH / RH cooperation than my daughter's Schaum book did, so it is going to take me a little while to get smooth with it.

I have already learned a great deal. I am surprised how quickly the book moves into intervals and chords. And I am unpleasantly surprised how useless my LH is at this juncture.

I know what you mean about that left hand. I came to a LH note today and my mind went blank. So I tried to figure it out from the notes next to it, drew a blank on those too. Started to panic. I KNEW all those notes yesterday. :-( I'm working with my homemade flash cards now.

I started the alfred book Dec 4 and am only on page 54 or so. Its going slow and its gonna be slower this next 5 weeks or so as I am on the road again. Man this is going slow. On the other paw I have been looking at some other sheet music sometimes. Espcially when I get bored bored bored.

its good to know I am not the only rank beginner. Real rank at this point. I really stink at this. I just want to get to the point where I can play passibly so I can get on the carillon keyboard in 2 months or so and not make a fool of myself. How much music theory do we really need???I slept thru music theory classes in high school.